Feature Article

Has Technology Made the World Bigger? The Pros and Cons of a Connected Society

One of the main driving forces of globalization and expansion is technology. Everyone has their own views on whether technology has made our globe bigger or whether it has made it smaller. It can be difficult to believe that only a mere decade ago, popular social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, various apps, and social sharing sites were virtually non-existent.

Today, they connect us more than ever. Technology brings advancements to our world and lets it expand to a degree that we were not even aware was possible.

The Good: Technology is mapping the world
Instant communication that comes by virtue of technology can be viewed as a great thing because it increases productivity, connectivity, and enables business to move quicker than in the past. Through technology we are able to see products, meet people, exchange ideas, and learn about other cultures simply through an internet connected device.

Immediate Access to Information In this sense, technology has undoubtedly expanded our reach. With telecommunications, mobility networks, and free social media platforms products and services are readily available. Technology lets us get instant access to news from around the globe at the click of a button. Technology has also modified how traditional business is done and has made it easier, more effective, and more efficient. This is because technology has allowed social media to be born which, in turn, has given companies the ability to supply people with the opportunity to associate and communicate with others. Consumers can view and communicate with the company, boost it through sharing, and promote businesses, resulting in growth.

In turn, technology can be seen as expanding the globe that we live in.

A New Borderless Method for Businesses Prior to this technology-advanced society we live in, business was typically completed through direct environments with limited access to areas outside one’s city or nation. For example brick and mortar stores are now expected to deliver their goods internationally; many have not been able to compete with industry giants like Amazon. With technology, the ability to communicate with like-businesses outside one’s immediate realm of work has truly expanded our world and made it bigger.

The Bad: Perhaps it has made the world smaller
Once unique in its way, technology has become mainstream and relatively un-newsworthy due to the basic fact that everyone and everything revolves around technology. It is inescapable, especially if you live in a modern society or urban center. Local and specialized, older methods of communications (switchboards and dial-up internet), have been taken over by homogenized methods. In this sense, technology has made our world a small place due to global integration and recognizability no matter where your location may be on Earth.

Increasing Gap Although there are many benefits that technology holds for us, there are also downsides which are making our world smaller. The internet and technology are available to only one-third of the global population. For those countries whose people do not have access to technology, the gap is widening for them because as our communication industry grows, their society continues to be at a standstill, leaving them no way to conform or catch up with technologically advanced countries.

Every decade goes through many changes, each one possessing newer and more advanced ways of communication and sharing than the last. Technology’s growth won’t stop here. It allows people to engage with others from all over the world and conduct business through wider communication channels. In this sense, technology has indeed made our globe a larger one. Overall, it is not whether the world is getting bigger or smaller, but more so about the awareness around technology and its psychological impact on society. Indeed, it has changed so fast that we, as a species, may have to change in order to adapt to it.

About the author: Ishai Reinfeld is the CEO of DailySteals, a daily deal e-commerce website founded in 2009. Reinfeld has more than nine years of retail experience in the fashion, food, software and electronics industries. He serves as the Former Steering Committee member for the South Florida Competitive Intelligence Professionals. Find him on LinkedIn.